Oppositional Defiant Disorder Law and Legal Definition
Oppositional Defiant Disorder or ODD is a psychiatric disorder affecting behavior. A person with ODD exhibits recurrent pattern of negativitistic, defiant, disobedient, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that persists for at least six months. The behaviors will have a negative impact on social and academic functioning.
The term is seen referred to in some cases relating to juvenile crimes and child custody. A person with oppositional defiant disorder can be defiant of authority and resistant to change. [In the Interest of JayQuan M., 1998 Conn. Super. LEXIS 2856 (Conn. Super. Ct. 1998)].
A child with ODD will show some of the characteristics given below:
Frequent loss of temper.
Frequent arguments with adults and peers.
Disobedience/Defiance in obeying rules/routines.
Deliberate behaviors to irritate others.
Being touchy or easily annoyed by others.
Use of obscene language.
Lack Of accountability.
Being angry, spiteful and vindictive.
ODD symptoms are less severe than those associated with Conduct Disorder but sometimes indicate the early stages of Conduct Disorder (CD) and may sometimes lead to the development of Anti-social Personality Disorder during adulthood.
